Molds for use in manufacturing energy dissipating concrete blocks for river and marine works

ABSTRACT

Molds for use in manufacturing energy dissipating concrete blocks for river and marine works are composed of a set of plates coming into contact with concrete, each having a simple geometrical shape in its plan view, and various type of molds can be obtained by the combination of the plates. The concrete blocks manufactured by the molds can be easily combined to form regular geometrical designs having specific percentages of voids respectively, resulting in their vast application in all sorts of marine and river works.

United States Patent [191 Tokunaga 1 Sept. 18, 1973 MOLDS FOR USE INMANUFACTURING ENERGY DISSIPATING CONCRETE BLOCKS FOR RIVER AND MARINEWORKS [76] Inventor: Kazumi Tokunaga, No. 1410,

Sakae-machi, City of Soka, Saitama Prefecture, Japan [22] Filed: Aug.25, 1969 [21] App]. N0.: 852,580

[ 30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 19, 1968 Japan 43/678131[52] US. Cl 61/4, 52/609, 249/10, 249/102, 249/156 [51] Int. Cl. E021!3/08, 1502b 3/14 [58] Field of Search 249/155, 156, 102, 249/104, 10,153; 52/608, 609, 610, 611; 61/3, 4, 37

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 955,230 4/1910 Van Caeyseele52/608 1,389,817 9/1921 Deal 249/156 2,874,442 2/1959 Henderson 249/1562,891,397 6/1959 Haner 52/650 3,176,468 4/1965 Nagai 61/4 3,449,8576/1969 De Christopher 46/25 3,488,964 l/1970 Kabo 61/37 FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 148,922 7/1920 Great Britain 249/155 20,234 10/1963Japan 249/155 322,881 2/1903 France 52/609 384,191 3/1934 GreatBritain... 52/81 424,649 5/1967 Switzerland 61/37 PrimaryExaminer-I-1enry C. Sutherland Attomey-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57]ABSTRACT Molds for use in manufacturing energy dissipating concreteblocks for river and marine works are composed of a set of plates cominginto contact with concrete, each having a simple geometrical shape inits plan view, and various type of molds can be obtained by thecombination of the plates. The concrete blocks manufactured by the moldscan be easily combined to form regular geometrical designs havingspecific percentages of voids respectively, resulting in their vastapplication in all sorts of marine and river works.

1 Claim, 57 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. 18, 1973 9 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG.

FIG.

FIG.

II III FIG.

FIG. 10

knzuml Town/Mn,

FIG.

INVENTOR.

Mwb4%Le%Z/mu Patented Sept. 18, 1973 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.

FIG. 1i

knzM/w/ m u/wa 4 A,

INVENTQR.

BY, MMIZL Patented Sept. 18, 1973 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

(HZ LIMI Told/N36 INVENTOR wwwzam Patented Sept. 18, 1973 3,759,043

9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Knz un/ TD/(ur/AGA, mvsmon Patefited Sept. 18, 19733,759,043

9 Sheets-Sheet 6 4 122 um/ may/m INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 18, 1973 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 mw 0E II II f H II INVENTOR,Vnzuml FAWN/46H mv QE BY M ATTORNEYS FIG. 46

Patented Sept. 18, 1973 3,759,043

9 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 5i

FIG. 48 4 EEEEAQQQELJ EEEEEEEEN 024ml Tom/N 96A INVENTOR s; EEEEEEUATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 18, 1973 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 W W T; A

BY. Mal/until! M14412 ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to molds for manufacturing energy dissipating concreteblocks in use for structures in the sea, coasts, and rivers.

In general, wave-absorbing blocks for use in break- ,waters, groins, seawalls, coastal embankments etc., the

foot-protecting blocks for use in revetments for river banks etc. andthe flow-regulating blocks for use in spur dikes in rivers etc. can beroughly classified into three types, that is, the projecting type, thehollow type and the compromise type. The examples of the projecting,hollow and compromise types of conventional blocks are the so-calledtetrapod," the hollow-triangle block and the hollow square blocks.

Those molds of conventional blocks as tetrapods, hollow-triangle blocks,hollow-square blocks, etc. cannot manufacture only their own types.

On the contrary, the molds according to the present invention can beused for manufacturing blocks of any one of the three typesabovementioned and the kinds of blocks manufactured thereby areinnumerable This is one of the remarkable features of the presentinvention, unexpected of the conventional molds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION rent energies and to reduce the dynamicpressure of 40 waves and currents. In addition, they have effect toincrease the stability of blocks themselves and also to reduce theagitations of bed materials and scouring of foundations, and, at thesame time, to decrease subsidences of structures themselves. 7

In accordance with the present invention the molds are fundamentallycomposed of only five rectangular plates and three L-shaped plates withtheir surfaces coming'into contact with concrete.

In accordance with the present invention various types of concreteblocks are manufactured by depositing concrete in molds which are formedby combining the rectangular plates and L-shaped plates in any desiredmanner.

In the following, an explanation will bernade of the outstandingfeatures of the hetero-shaped concrete blocks formed with the molds ofthepresent invention, in comparison with the conventional blocks, fromthe points of view of a ,l. the convenience of the combination,

2. variety of combinations,

3. wavebreaking effect,

4. stability, and

5. economy.

The combination and assembling of the concrete blocks of some types madewith the moldsof the present invention can be carried out in innumerableways,

whereas, in the case of the conventional concrete blocks, particularly,e.g., tetrapods and hollow-triangle blocks, their combined assembling isof only one combination.

Regarding stability, blocks made by the molds of the present inventionare as desirable as the conventional concrete blocks. Then, regardingeconomy, too, the concrete blocks made by the molds of the presentinvention are superior to the conventional ones in the 10 cost of bothproduction and installation, particularly when it is considered that theshape of the conventional block are generally complicated so that theyare not suitable to be formed in large size, and yet the manufacture oftheir molds is verycostly.

Certain kinds of blocks manufactured by molds according to the presentinvention are simple in their shape and the total area of the molds isfairly small compared with that of the conventional blocks. Forinstance, it is 38, 29, 18 and percent less than the area 20 of thehollow-triangle blocks, hollowsquare blocks,

tetrapods, and hexapod blocks, respectively.

Hitherto the manufacturing yard of the blocks has needed a considerablylarge area. Since the shapes of the conventional blocks are such thatthere is no alternative for them but to be manufactured individually oneby one, a large yard area is required for manufacturing them. However,since the blocks made according to the present invention can bemanufactured by arranging them side by side so as to be closelycontacted with each other, the yard area is one-third to one-sixth aslarge as that needed for tetrapods or hexapod blocks. Therefore, themanufacturing cost of the blocks according to the present invention canbe economized from the point of the manufacturing yard.

The advantage of manufacturing blocks in close contact with each otheras in the manner in accordance with the present invention is not only areduction in the area of a block-manufacturing yard, but also thesimplicity of the mold manufacturing process itself, since the molds,when the blocks having been previously deposited are used, are notnecessary, except the mere application of craft paper or similarmaterial between their contact surfaces.

In concrete placing in freezing weather it is necessary to cure theconcrete blocks by keeping them warm till their compressive strengthamounts to kg/cm'. However, in the conventional blocks, since the curingequipment to keep them warm is costly, the concrete placing in freezingweather is actually difficult. Contrary to it, since the blocksmanufactured by the molds according to the present invention havesurface areas only one-third to one-sixth of those of conventionalblocks, they can be cured easily.

As for the area of a place in which the manufactured blocks aretemporarily stockpiled, it can be further saved. With the conventionalblocks, it is impossible to pile them up in multi-stages. With theblocks of certain kinds molded in accordance with the present invention,however, they can be heaped vertically in multi-stages, with only aclearance rate of 14 percent. It is also possibleto travel a crawlercrane or a tractor crane on the piled blocks. Such advantages of theconcrete blocks of the present invention are not achieved in theconventional blocks.

As for the installation of concrete blocks, it can be easily understoodthat it is easier with those which contact planely each other in asimple shape than with those whose shapes are complicated. It isparticularly so in under-water work, in which much of the divers work isdifficult such as groping. On those points, too, the concrete blocks ofthe present invention are advantageous over the conventional ones.

We described in the foregoing how the blocks manufactured by the moldsof the present invention are economically superior to hitherto knownblocks.

Further, since various type blocks of any shape can be manufactured bythe molds according to the present invention, they can be selectivelymade to have shapes conforming to the condition of the marine, coast orriver in wave absorbing feet protection of structures or flowregulation. Such a feature of the blocks is also an advantage of thepresent invention over the known blocks.

Now we will explain the application of the heteroshaped blocksmanufactured by the molds according to the present invention.

Firstly a breakwater construction will be explained as the firstexample.

The application of the blocks to the construction of breakwaters can becarried out in three different methods, that is, constructing the bodyof a breakwater with blocks in pell-mell, constructing the body of abreakwat'er with an orderly formation of the blocks of various kinds,and constructing by covering the surface of a breakwater body made ofvarious conventional blocks or materials other than conventional blockswith the blocks according to the present invention for the purpose ofwave absorption.

The pell-mell construction firstly mentioned can save the work periodremarkably when it is used for a breakwater of a harbour which faces theopen sea where calm days are limited throughout a year, because, due tothe pell-mell construction, theinstalling of the blocks is not requiredto be carried out by divers, only necessiating the free throwing of themso that a breakwater body is formed.

The orderly formation secondly mentioned can save the construction costby making the cross sectional area of the breakwater body small when itis used for a breakwater of a harbour in a closed sea where it is calmthroughout the year, but only being rough when in typhoon season orduring strong winds.

The covering the surface of a breakwater method lastly mentioned is amethod being able to be applied for a breakwater at whatever harbour,and by using it a breakwater body can be made to have a small crosssection due to the fact of the decrease in the intensive wave pressureand wave overtopping.

In all of the methods abovementioned, the energy of waves attacking thebreakwater constructed of the blocks according to the present inventionis dissipated and dispersed by the numerous projections and voids formedby hetero-shaped blockswith the result that there arises no large sprayas in the conventional breakwaters.

Accordingly, the intensity of wave pressure is decreased and thebreakwater body itself can be economically reduced in cross sectionalarea. Further, in the case where the blocks are mutally combined, sincethere exist projections and voids which are capable of being interlockedwith each other, they stand against the wave force so that there is nopossibility of separation of the blocks.

Next will be explained the application of the blocks according to thepresent invention in a river work. The specially formed blocks made bythe molds according to the present invention are blocks which can bevastly utilized in the river work. That is, they can be utilized inrevetments of river banks, protections of slopes themselves and theirfeet, protection of river floors, spur dikes, spillways, intakestructures, and jetties at river mouths. Among these, thefoot-protection work, the floor protection work and the spur dike formthe essential parts of river works, so they are very improtam.

The hetero-shaped blocks according to the present invention are utilizedin all of these works. Since these blocks can be made to be adjustedtheir percentage of void, coefficient of roughness, stabilitycoefficient against overturning, sliding and etc. by freely combiningthese specially shaped blocks, they can be made to be most suitable tothe condition of the foundation, bed characteristics, and hydrauliccondition of specific rivers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mold for use inmanufacturing concrete blocks for dissipating the water energy inthe-sea and river works, the surfaces of which mold coming into contactwith concrete are composed of at least one set of plates each havingrectangular and L-shaped or -shaped configurations.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide molds formaking concrete blocks which are easily combined to be secured orinterlocked together so as to give various geometrical designs orphysical properties as percentage of void, coefficient of roughness etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects of the presentinvention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art whenconsidered in reference to the following detailed description in thelight of the accompanying drawings and wherein;

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of configuration of respecitve surfaces of amold according to the present invention which come into contact withconcrete;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an L-type block which constitutes one ofthe fundamental types manufactured by using two sets of molds accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a -type block which also constitutesanother fundamental type manufactured by using two sets of moldsaccording to the present invention;

FIGS. 4 to 6 show respectively front elevational, plan and sideelevational views of the L-type block shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 7 to 9 show respectively front elevational, plan and sideelevational views of the -type block shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 10 and 11 show developements of the external surfaces of the L-and -type blocks respectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively;

FIGS. 12 to 40 show various blocks manufactured by combining the moldsaccording to the present invention in perspective view; and

FIGS. 41 and 57 show various geometrical designs obtained by combiningthe L-type blocks and -type blocks in plan view.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, there isshown a set of plates composing the surfaces of a mold according to thepresent invention, wherein are shown the plane shapes coming intocontact with concrete. The plates are composed of five rectangles I, 2,5, 6 and 7, and three L- shapes 3, 4 or 4' as shown in FIG. 1. Thedimensions of respective sides and angles between adjoining two sides ofeach of the plates are properly selected so that they form a mold whenassembled, as will be fully explained hereafter, and the preferreddimensions are given it FIG. 1, wherein a respresents any numericalvalue, and dimensions put in brackets denote those which can be selectedas desired. When two of each plate 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and two of either 4or 4 are combined with together, two fundamental molds are obtainable.The first fundamental mold obtained by combining two of each plate 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 is shown in FIG. 2 in perspective view and in FIGS. 4,5 and 6 in front elevational, plan and side elevational views. As willbe apparent from the drawings, the mold has a shape that a guadraticprism with a square cross section is bent to the right in a horizontalplane and then made to stand up vertically at its end. We will call thismold hereafter an L-shaped mold" and a block manufactured by it anL-shaped block.

The second fundamental mold obtained by combining two of each plate 1,2, 3, 4', 5, 6 and 7 is shown in FIG. 3 in perspective view and in FIGS.7, 8 and 9 in front elevational, plan and side elevational views. Asevident from FIG. 3, the mold has a shape that a quadratic prism with asqaure cross section is bent to the left in horizontal plane andthenmadeto stand up vertically atits end. We will call this mold hereafter a-shaped mold and a block manufactured by it a 1 -shaped mold."

The L-shaped block and F -shaped block constitute two fundamental typesof blocks manufactured by the molds according to the present invention.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show respectively developments of the outer surface ofthe L-shaped block and P -shaped block." Comparing the developmentsshown in FIGS. 10 and 11, it will be seen that both Figures aresymmetrical.

FIG. 12 shows in perspective view a block obtained by using two sets ofL-shaped mold" and 1 -shaped mold but with four plates 2 and 4.

FIG. 13 shows in perspective view a block obtained by using two sets ofL-shaped mold and P -shaped mold but with four plates 2 and 7.

Similarly, FIGS. 14-19 show in perspective view blocks obtained by usingtwo sets of L-shaped mold and P -shaped mold but with eight plate 2 forFIGS. 14 and 15; four plates 3 and 7 for FIG. 6; four plates 1 and 3 forFIG. 17; two plates 1 and 3 and four plates 7 for FIG. 18; and fourplates 2 and 7 for FIG. 19.

FIGS. 20-23 show in perspective view blocks ob;

FIG S. 32:3 7 sh ow in perspective view blocks obl 'l-shaped mold, inwhich block shown in FIG. 32 is manufactured by the mold without sevenplates 7 and four plates 3, FIGS. 33 and 34 without four plates 1 and 7,FIG. 35 without four plates 1 and 3, FIG. 36 without two plates 1 and 3and four plates 7, and FIG. 37 without four plates 1 and 3.

FIG. 38 shows in perspective view a block obtained by using two sets of-type mold but with two plates 1.

FIGS. 39 and 40 show blocks obtained by using one set of L-shaped moldand I -shaped mold except in the former, two plates 3 and, in thelatter, two plates 1.

We have described above and shown in FIGS. 12-40 in perspective view thevarious blocks manufactured by using the molds according to the presentinvention and also indicated the number of sets of molds along with theplates not being used in respective blocks shown in FIGS. 12-40. Sincethese blocks can be all composed of a number of L-type block and -typeblock, instead of manufacturing them by building up the molds solidly todeposit concrete therein, they can also be manufactured by securingmutually the blocks separately manufactured as L- or I -type block orblocks by any suitable manner.

suitableselection of a number of L Shaped mold and I l' -type mold.

Now, referring to FIGS. 41-57, there are shown geometrical plan designsobtained by combining a number l, 3 and 7, FIG. 21 uses eight plates 1and 7, FIG. 22

of L-type blocks or P -type blocks independently, or both together.

FIGS. 41 and 42 show designsobtained by combining the same number of L-and P -type blocks upward, whereby the blocks are arranged so as to beEshape and I shape respectively. The solid percentage of void which isdefined as ratio of hollow volume of the block to the solid volume ofthe external contour thereof is 59 percent for the former, while thatfor the latter 57 percent. The solid percentage of void thus definedwill be hereafter designated as v.

FIG. 43 shows a design obtained by combining the same number of L-typeblocks upward and P -type blocks downward, v being 49.5 percent.

FIGS. 44-46 shows designs obtained by combining the same number of L-and F -type blocks downward, each in a different manner, v for each casebeing 42.9, 65.3 and 53.0 percent, respectively.

, FIG. 47 shows a design obtained by arranging a number of P -typeblocks downward on the L-type blocks of the same number which arearranged upward in one row, whereby v is 14.0 percent.

FIG. 48 shows a design obtained by arranging the same number of L- and I-type blocks downward on the blocks shown in FIG. 43, v being 37.7percent.

FIG. 49 shows a design obtained by massively arranging P -type blocksupward, g bei ng 38.5 percent.

' FIGS. 50-52 show designs obtained by arranging I -type blocks upwardin three different manners, whereby v are 46.2, 42.5 and 65.6 percent,respectively.

rality of flat plates, each of said plates having a flat, planarconcrete contacting surface of a predetermined geometrical design, theperipheral edges of said concrete contacting surfaces of each of saidplates having predetermined length ratios, said edges of said platesoperatively associated to be abutted to form a number of enclosed moldshapes, said geometrical designs of said concrete contacting surfacescomprising three L- shapes, four rectangles and one'square.

t t 1 i

1. A mold for use in manufacturing energy dissipating concrete blockscomprising one or more each of a plurality of flat plates, each of saidplates having a flat, planar concrete contacting surface of apredetermined geometrical design, the peripheral edges of said concretecontacting surfaces of each of said plates having predetermined lengthratios, said edges of said plates operatively associated to be abuttedto form a number of enclosed mold shapes, said geometrical designs ofsaid concrete contacting surfaces comprising three L-shapes, fourrectangles and one square.